CommandDeskGuide
Mouse Without Borders for Mac? What works instead
Short answer: there isn't one. Mouse Without Borders is part of Microsoft PowerToys, and it only runs on Windows. If one of your computers is a Mac, you need an app that runs on both. Here are the four that do. We make CommandDesk, one of them, so the others are described from their own pages.
| App | Price | Works with | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| CommandDesk | $19 once | Mac + one Windows 10/11 or Ubuntu PC | PC sound on your Mac; PC as a second screen |
| Synergy 3 | $15–$29 once | Mac, Windows, Linux; 3 to 15 computers | 30-day money-back |
| Deskflow | Free, open source | Mac, Windows, Linux | Some Terminal setup on a Mac |
| ShareMouse | Free for personal use; paid editions | Mac and Windows | Drag and drop files |
From each product's own pages, October 2026.
What Mouse Without Borders does, and why a Mac can't join
On Windows it's excellent: one keyboard and mouse for up to four PCs, a shared clipboard, and copying a single file up to 100 MB between them, all free. But it's a Windows program, and Microsoft's page mentions no Mac version. Apple's own answer, Universal Control, only links Macs and iPads. So a Mac and a PC on one desk need a third-party app on both.
1.CommandDesk: made for a Mac and a PC
Install it on your Mac and the free PC app on your Windows 10/11 or Ubuntu PC. The PC appears in a list, you check the same 6-digit code on both screens, and from then on the pointer carries on off the edge of your Mac's screen onto the PC, with the keyboard following. Copied text pastes on either side.
It also plays the PC's sound through your Mac, and can turn the PC into a second screen for your Mac. $19 once. It controls one PC at a time, so it isn't for desks with three or more computers.
Mouse Without Borders, but with your Mac
One keyboard and mouse for your Mac and PC, set up with a 6-digit code. $19 once, refund if it can't connect.
2.Synergy 3
The long-standing paid option, closest to Mouse Without Borders for bigger desks: Lite is $15 for up to 3 computers, Plus $19 for up to 5, Max $29 for up to 15, all one-time with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Mac, Windows and Linux.
Best for: three or more computers, including several Windows PCs and a Mac.
3.Deskflow (free)
Free and open source, and the most active free option. It runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, but on a Mac it takes some setup, because macOS reports it as damaged until you clear a flag in Terminal or install it with Homebrew. Our Deskflow on Mac guide walks through it.
Best for: free, and comfortable with a little Terminal.
4.ShareMouse
Works between Macs and Windows PCs, and can drag and drop files between them. The free edition is for personal use with up to two displays in total; work use and more screens need a paid edition, bought once. More on ShareMouse and its alternatives.
Best for: moving files between a Mac and a PC a lot.
Which should you pick?
- A Mac and one PC, working in minutes, with sound and a second screen: CommandDesk.
- Three or more computers: Synergy 3, or Deskflow for free.
- Lots of file moving between Mac and PC: ShareMouse.
- Only Windows PCs: keep Mouse Without Borders; it's free and good.
Questions
Is there a Mouse Without Borders for Mac?
No. Mouse Without Borders is part of Microsoft PowerToys, which runs on Windows. Microsoft’s page doesn’t mention a Mac or Linux version, so a Mac can’t join a Mouse Without Borders setup.
What is the Mac equivalent of Mouse Without Borders?
For a Mac and a Windows PC: CommandDesk, Synergy, Deskflow or ShareMouse. Apple’s own Universal Control only links Macs and iPads.
Can I keep Mouse Without Borders between my Windows PCs and add a Mac?
Not in the same setup: it only connects Windows computers. If the Mac needs to join, move all of them to an app that runs on both, like Synergy or Deskflow, which handle several computers.
Does copy and paste work between a Mac and a PC?
Yes, with any of the apps here. CommandDesk shares copied text both ways; ShareMouse can also copy files.
New to this? The three ways to use one keyboard and mouse with a Mac and a PC.
CommandDesk: one keyboard and mouse for your Mac and PC
Plus a second screen and your PC's sound on your Mac. $19 once, with a refund if it can't connect to your PC.